Fox, Samsung to Develop System to Deliver Ultra HD Content Through Smart TVs

Twentieth Century Fox and Samsung Electronics announced a partnership Thursday in which both companies will work together to create a secure way to deliver Ultra HD movies and TV shows through smart TVs.

The electronics industry is putting considerable resources behind Ultra HD as a way to encourage consumers to replace their current HD TV sets, and turn around slowing sales in the category.

But the tech sector needs content to play on the hardware, and deals like the one between Samsung and Fox will help boost the amount of available content.

Sony also provides a growing number of films and TV shows through its UHD media player that streams content to its UHD TVs.

Ultra HD provides four times the resolution of traditional HD TVs.

Samsung and 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment will initially focus on delivering UHD movies — including “Night at the Museum,” “X-Men Origins: Wolverine” and “The Counselor” — via a UHD Video Pack storage device that comes pre-loaded with films and is sold with Samsung’s new curved UHD TVs.

The first curved Samsung UHD TVs that come with the Video Pack bundle will be available later this month.

“Samsung is actively working with the best in the industry to pioneer a sustainable UHD content distribution ecosystem which will not only benefit consumers, but also open ways for content partners to expand their role in distributing UHD content,” said Kyungshik Lee, senior VP of the service strategy team of visual display business, Samsung Electronics. “Our strategic partnership with 20th Century Fox is a great example of how the industry is working towards bringing UHD content to end-consumers in the most efficient way while accelerating our ability to provide a full UHD ecosystem.”

Samsung announced the new partnership with Fox at a press event in New York, where it unveiled a new line of 4K TVs and homevideo hardware.

Fox’s Dunn has especially been vocal on how technology will help Hollywood increase the revenue it can generate from new digital platforms.

He was the only Hollywood executive at the press conference, given that he’s the only homevideo president that sits on the Consumer Electronics Assn’s board of industry leaders. Org produces CES each year.

“Our partnership with Samsung creates a unique opportunity to introduce Ultra HD movies to audiences around the world,” said Mike Dunn, president of 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment. “We are laser-focused on developing solutions that bring innovations like Ultra HD from the CES show floor to the living room for people to own and enjoy.”

What about those who already own Samsung 4K TVs? How do WE get the 4K content that Fox and Samsung is putting on the “newer” SmartTvs? Hopefully Samsung sends us a firmware upgrade through our televisions.